Friday 31 January 2003
England Manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson and Chief Executive of The PFA, Gordon Taylor, will be joining acclaimed celebrity photographer Rankin, to choose some of the best footballing photographs from 2002 at an exhibition on 4th February at The FA to help raise awareness of testicular cancer.
This event is part of the activities that are taking place for The FA and The PFA’s testicular cancer awareness week (1-8 February) for their Keep Your Eye on the Ball campaign which is jointly supported by Cancer Research UK’s Dads and Lads initiative and the Everyman campaign, run by The Institute of Cancer Research.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer amongst young men between 20 and 35; the same age range as an average footballer’s playing career. However, over 95% can be successfully treated if diagnosed early enough, and that's why The FA and The PFA were keen to start up this campaign to help raise funds for the two charities and raise more awareness of the disease.
As well as the exhibition of some Premiership players’ favourite photographs, many national papers and photographic agencies have entered photos into a competition and the three high profile judges will be asked to choose the most emotive footballing photo and the most amusing footballing photo from 2002.
The late Bobby Moore’s wife, Stephanie, has also kindly donated a signed print of Martin Peters scoring in the 1966 World Cup which will be auctioned off during the event for The Institute of Cancer Research and Cancer Research UK.
Popular radio station Talksport 1089/1053 is also backing the Keep Your Eye on the Ball campaign by holding a series of interviews and playing soundbites with top premiership players, including Emile Heskey and Steven Gerrard, throughout this awareness week. Cont…
Many clubs across the country including Arsenal, Spurs and Aston Villa are helping to support the week by creating more awareness of testicular cancer amongst the football fraternity.
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson says: "Testicular cancer can affect
everyone and as the cases of Alan Stubbs, Neil Harris, Jason Cundy and Craig Forrest have shown, the football community is not immune. Their courage in battling the disease should provide the inspiration for men to make themselves aware of the facts, check themselves regularly and not hesitate to seek medical advice."
Professor Peter Rigby, Chief Executive of The Institute of Cancer Research said, “We are delighted that The FA and The PFA are again supporting research into male cancers. Testicular cancer has a 96% cure rate if caught early enough so awareness makes a huge difference.”
Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel winning Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK said, “It is important that we communicate with all men so working with The FA and The PFA gives us the ideal opportunity to get the correct messages to footballers and their fans, so that we can show this highly curable cancer the red card.”
For more information about the Keep Your Eye on the Ball campaign please call
Alison Morgan from Everyman
020 7153 5312 or 0778 8427856
Sarah Moore, Cancer Research UK
020 7061 8364 or 07050 264059
Simone Pound at The PFA
020 7 329 9966 or 07773 373 292
Andrin Cooper at The FA
020 7745 4718
Notes to the Editor:
- The FA and The PFA launched the Keep Your Eye on the Ball campaign in 2001.
The Institute of Cancer Research is a centre of excellence with some of the world’s leading scientists working on cutting edge research. The Institute set up the Everyman Campaign in 1997 to raise awareness and funds for prostate and testicular cancers. - Cancer Research UK is committed to curing cancer by understanding its causes and investigating how best to prevent and treat it. The charity, which relies almost entirely on public donations, also funds research aimed at providing the best possible support and information to cancer patients and their families.